Eight Things You Need to Know About Marvel's ~DOCTOR STRANGE~

With Sinister director Scott Derrickson tapped by Marvel Studios to helm their big screen adaptation of Doctor Strange, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to explore a slightly more magical side. However, like Ant-Man and Black Panther, the Master of the Mystic Arts is a little on the obscure side.

It’s likely that the movie will be released alongside Captain America 3 in 2016 now that a director has been found, and with the search for an actor to play the Stan Lee and Steve Ditko creation underway (Jared Leto and Johnny Depp have been rumoured [fuck no]), we thought now would be a good time to take a closer look at the Sorcerer Supreme and to tell you everything you need to know about him before the movie hits.

1. He Was Once an Arrogant and Gifted Surgeon...

Like Tony Stark before him, Stephen Vincent Strange’s journey to becoming a hero greatly changes him as a person, and it’s fair to say that he’s not a nice man when we first meet him. An egotistical neurosurgeon, Strange’s only real concern is making money from the people he helps. However, a car accident shatters the bones in his hands, leading to him being unable to perform surgery and frantic to find a cure of some sort.

After consulting various doctors, homoeopathic treatments and travelling around the world to remote regions for exotic cures, he is left penniless and homeless, with no choice but to perform illegal back alley medical procedures to get by. This humbles the doctor, and sets him on a path which will forever change his life.

2. ... Until He Was Taught by the Ancient One

Eventually, Strange’s search for a cure leads him to a mysterious hermit known as the Ancient One who resides deep within the Himalayas. Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme refuses to help Strange because of his selfishness, but when he senses that there is in fact good within the arrogant surgeon, he tries and fails to bring it to the surface.

However, when he discovers that the Ancient One’s apprentice Baron Mordo is plotting to kill his master, Strange selflessly decides to accept the Ancient One’s offer to learn magic in order to help the old man and is set on a new, far more heroic, path. His new master eventually dies in battle (but helps Stephen a great deal in the meantime), leading to Doctor Strange inheriting the Ancient One’s title as Sorcerer Supreme.

3. He Lives in the Sanctum Sanctorum

The Avengers have Avengers Tower, Doctor Strange has his Sanctum Sanctorum. The three story townhouse is located on 177A Bleecker Street in New York’s Greenwich Village, and the outside world view it simply as the residence of occult expert Doctor Strange. What they obviously don’t realise is that he’s also Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme, and the way he’s viewed by the outside world could explain why The Avengers don’t turn to him for help (after all, the roster will get a little overcrowded if Marvel throw in every single hero they bring to the big screen).

Regardless, Strange’s house is packed to the rafters with occult items, making it very visually interesting, and also the perfect opportunity for Marvel to throw in plenty of Easter Eggs for eagle eyed comic book fans.

4. His Greatest Enemy is Dormammu

With a well-known horror director taking charge of Doctor Strange for Marvel, it’s hard to think of a better choice of villain than the dreaded Dormammu! When you see a demon or particular nasty spirit in a horror movie, they’re frightening because you know how near impossible it is to stop them. That same feeling should be the case for this character, the ruler of the Dark Dimension and leader of the nearly unstoppable Mindless Ones.

Mordo was actually in Dormammu’s service when he tried to kill the Ancient One, and the Fiery Demon is one of the most powerful known mystical entities within the Marvel Universe. He’s a Thor-level threat, and would be visually very different to anything we’ve seen in these movies so far. Strange will need some help taking him down…5. His Forever Girl is Clea

That help comes in the form of Clea, the niece of the demonic tyrant Dormammu. When Strange arrives in the Dark Dimension (where she was being held captive), she tried to warn him from taking on the demon, but was soon freed by the Doctor and went to live on Earth with him. They fought side by side for a time, fell in love and eventually married.

With no regular Doctor Strange comic book series on shelves, the character became rarely used and the Sorcerer Supreme has been romantically linked to a number of others since [not canon by reason of dumb]. However, Clea is really considered to be the main love interest and just so happens to be tough as nails [and the fucking Sorcerer Supreme of her own dimension, tyvm], making her the only sensible female lead for this movie, especially if they do indeed decide to utilise Dormammu as the villain.

6. He May Just Be the Most Powerful Person in the Marvel Cinematic Universe[though not the strongest there is]

Thor is an actual God, but the introduction of Doctor Strange could lead to us seeing even more powerful and terrifying entities. We’ve explored various realms with Thor and will head into outer space with the Guardians of the Galaxy, but the dimensions explored by the Master of the Mystic Arts will contain all sorts of trippy visual and bizarre new characters.

Dormammu is the perfect example of that, but there are countless others who can be introduced in this movie. Equipped with the Cloak of Levitation which enables him to fly, the Eye of Agamotto whose light is used to negate evil magic [also all-seeing], the Book of the Vishanti which contains knowledge of white magic, and the Orb of Agamotto which is used as a crystal ball, Doctor Strange shouldn’t be underestimated!

OP BONUS 7: There is only one Sorcerer Supreme in any reality, not just planet Earth, at any time. In the "Secret Invasion" arc of 2008 (terrible, don't read it), it is revealed that Doctor Strange making his home here is the primary reason why most of the rest of the universe avoids invading Earth. Bow, tbh.

OP BONUS 8: Doctor Strange is well known for his unique Stan-Lee-crafted magical exclamations. Seriously, he has a lot. Not kidding

"By the Flames of the Faltine!""By the Sons of Satannish!""By the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth!""By the Ruby Rings of Raggadorr!""By the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak!""By the Vapors of the Vishanti!""By the Eye of Agamotto!""By the Images of Ikonn!""By the Demons of Denak!""By the Fangs of Farallah!""By the Mystic Moons of Munnopor!""By the Shades of the Seraphim!""By the Omnipotent Oshtur!"